Basement Confessionals
by McGeekle
Summary: In the criminal justice system, officers of the law sometimes need a place to rant. In DC, these dedicated special agents find themselves confessing all of their secrets to a man in a basement. These are their stories. DUN DUN
1. First Date

The title of this story is courtesy of dizzy-in-the-izzy.

I don't own NCIS, obviously.

* * *

He heard his front door open and footsteps approaching the stairs. He couldn't help but wonder who was about to descend upon him and what they had managed to get themselves into this time. When Tony walked down the stairs into the basement wearing a very nice suit, he knew it was going to be a serious conversation; and not one he would necessarily like.

"Evening, Boss," Tony said, looking around for any indication as to what Gibbs was working on, "No boat?"

"Just trying something new."

"It's good to do that every now and then," he replied.

He paced around the room before cleaning out a mason jar and pouring himself a cup of bourbon. He continued to walk around playing with his glass. Gibbs just kept sanding. He would talk when he was ready.

Twenty minutes later, however, he was getting slightly impatient with his senior field agent who was wearing a hole in his floor.

"Did you come here to talk about something, DiNozzo, or are you just gonna drink all my bourbon and leave?"

"I did. I was just thinking."

"Must be serious if you're not talking yourself through it."

"It's not really a problem, boss. It's just...something new," he said.

Gibbs nodded in response.

Tony grabbed the nearest sawhorse and sat down across from Gibbs at his worktable. Gibbs frowned slightly at his actions. If it was a sit down conversation, it was more serious than he thought.

After another few moments of silence, Tony finally said what was on his mind.

"You know, I didn't plan on having this little chat for another good while. I wasn't going to say anything until I was absolutely sure that things were actually going to go according to plan for once," he paused, "You never know if your expectations are going to line up with reality, you know? You hope they do. You dream about them and you create these great scenarios in your head where you just end up happier than you'd ever thought you could be. But life isn't usually like that. Especially my life. You don't get everything you want, and things fall apart. So when it does happen, it just blows your mind, and you have to take action a little sooner than you thought."

Gibbs simply watched Tony speak, trying to absorb everything he said. He could tell by his tone that he was genuinely shocked about whatever had transpired that night.

"I asked Ziva out on a date tonight, Gibbs. She said yes. We went out on our first date tonight and it was...perfect. It was everything I could have ever wanted it to be."

"Then what the hell are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, why are you not still with her?"

Any other time, Tony would have probably been unnerved that Gibbs asked him why he wasn't at that moment sleeping with Ziva, but her lips had just left his and he was still on a high.

"Oh, well, we decided that rushing into things wasn't a good idea. I walked her to her door, kissed her goodnight and that was it. Then I came here." He recounted the story with a slight smile and a dreamy look on his face, and Gibbs could only watch in wonderment. He knew that this day would come, and he knew that it would be serious from the get-go. From the moment they committed to each other, they would be committed for life, but for some reason he never thought they would be so cautious in the pursuit of their relationship.

"You know, I wasn't going to tell you until we had been dating for a little while and we knew for sure it was going to work out, but it's been one date and I know this is going to work."

"You're sure about that?"

"I don't think I've ever been so sure of anything in my life."

Gibbs nodded in response, taking a sip of his bourbon.

"Rule number 8," he finally said.

"Number 8...never take anything for granted."

"Mmmhmmm."

"Is that all you're going to say?"

Gibbs looked up at him, slightly disgruntled. He wouldn't let this be easy, would be?

"No head slap? No veiled threats?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"You're not breaking the rules."

Tony stared at him as though he'd gone insane, prompting him to continue.

"You love her, don't you?"

He looked at Gibbs very seriously and responded, "Yeah, I do," he paused for a moment, thinking. "Somewhere along the line I fell for her...I don't even know when it happened. It was like she pulled the rug out from under me the moment we met, and now...I can't imagine being with anyone else."

"You two have been through too much together to call what you're doing dating."

"So we're no breaking rule 12...because technically in your terms we're not dating?"

"That's what I said. Don't make me change my mind."

"We won't. Thank you, Boss."

He nodded once and continued to sand the chair leg he was working on.

Tony finished off his bourbon and stood, placing his glass on the workbench and moving to leave. He reached the stairs before Gibbs spoke again.

"DiNozzo," he said.

Tony turned back to face Gibbs.

"You hurt her, you answer to me," he said, a hard look on his face.

"If she doesn't kill me first," Tony responded with a smirk.

Gibbs' face broke into a smile, nodding as Tony made his way back up the stairs and out of the house.

With those two, he knew it was inevitable.


	2. Boy Problems

I would also like to mention that the summary for this story is also largely in part courtesy of dizzy-in-the-izzy.

This chapter will delve into the heart and mind of one Tobias Fornell.

* * *

SLAM

Gibbs' head snapped up as his front door rattled on it's hinges. Seconds later a very frantic Fornell appeared rushing down the steps, immediately reaching for the bourbon he knew awaited him on the workbench. He hastily poured himself a glass and downed it before pouring another. Gibbs chose that moment to intervene.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?"

Fornell simply paced the floor, worrying his glass.

"Tobias!"

Fornell ceased pacing and turned to face Gibbs.

"Emily just asked me if she could go out ON A DATE."

Gibbs' eyes widened. "A..."

"A DATE. WITH A BOY."

Gibbs chose not to say anything. It was better if he got through the ranting part first.

"A BOY, Jethro. She shouldn't want to go on dates with boys! She should be playing with dolls and painting her nails and asking if she can go to the park and swing. NOT DATING BOYS."

"How old is she now, Tobias?"

"Fourteen."

"I know it was a long time ago, but if I remember correctly, that's about the time dating starts."

"No. She will not be dating. She will not be traipsing around with teenage boys. I know what teenage boys are like, and I'll be damned if my daughter is hanging around anyone anything like fourteen year old me."

"Were you really all that bad?"

"They're all that bad! They're teenage boys. I know how they think, what they want. THEY SURE AS HELL WON'T BE GETTING IT FROM EMILY. If I have it my way she won't go on a date until she's 35!" Fornell stood in the middle of the floor, breathing heavily for a moment, trying to recover from his emotional rant.

"Are you done?"

Fornell sighed deeply, "I think so."

Gibbs got up and pulled out a chair for his friend, forcing him to sit before pulling up his own chair to face him.

"What does Diane have to say about this?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"You haven't discussed it with her," it wasn't a question.

"No. Not yet. She asked as I was dropping her back at Diane's place. We didn't get the chance to talk about it"

"What did you tell Emily?"

"I didn't say anything," he said, taking a sip of his bourbon. "She asked me, and then I just stared at her as we were standing on the porch. I just said goodbye and left."

"And came here."

"Apparently," he paused momentarily, "What would you do?"

"I don't know. Never got that far," he said sadly, memories of eight year old Kelly flooding his mind.

"I'm sorry, Jethro."

Gibbs only shook his head in response.

"I'm not going to be able to stop her, am I?"

"Nope," Gibbs said, taking a swig of his drink.

"Damn. I was hoping she'd just keep coming home with marker cootie shots and never even want to touch boys."

"Yeah, well, they grow up whether you want them to or not."

"Yes, unfortunately they do."

'So what are you going to do?"

"Try to convince her that boys are scum?"

"Doubtful."

"I guess I'm going to have to let her go."

"You should wait to see how our ex-wife takes this news before you decide."

Fornell's phone rang loudly from his pocket. "Well speak of the devil," he said as he pulled his phone out.

"She always did know when we were talking about her."

'Gotta be a sixth sense or something." He looked to Gibbs, eyes full of regret that their conversation had been cut short.

Gibbs just waved him off. "Go," he said, "Fill me in later."

"Thanks, Gibbs," he said, trudging back up the stairs.

"Anytime, Tobias. Anytime."


	3. Love

**Whoo. This one did not end up at all like I'd expected. That being said, I hope you enjoy it. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed! **

* * *

There were many days when Gibbs would come home knowing that he would be receiving a visitor that night. Sometimes it was Abby when she had been through a particularly tough case, other times it was Director Vance when he needed to talk through some sensitive information. Tonight, however he knew that it would be Ziva that accompanied him at his workbench.

DiNozzo had been trying her patience all day. Whether it be flicking little bits of paper at her or trying to touch her without Gibbs noticing, at which he was wholly unsuccessful, he was just getting on her nerves. Tony was in a playful mood, and it was very clear that Ziva was not. The entire day's frustration came to a head when DiNozzo had nearly gotten stabbed tackling a suspect to protect Ziva from getting hurt. Needless to say she was unamused with his actions.

About two hours after Gibbs released the team, he heard Ziva's light, but distinctly angry footsteps coming down his stairs. He had already poured her a drink, but he doubted that she would take it. He knew she'd learned early in life not to drink in stressful situations.

Ziva strode swiftly into the basement, frustration clearly written on her face. There was only so far she could be pushed before she snapped. DiNozzo knew that better than most, but for some reason he was trying to provoke her. Gibbs doubted this was the reaction he was looking for. Ziva paced the floor not unlike a caged tiger; angry, but with no idea how to express it.

"Hey," Gibbs said, catching her attention. "You wanna sit?"

"No," she said shortly.

"You wanna talk?"

"Not yet."

"Want a drink?" he said, motioning to her still untouched glass.

"No."

"Then what the hell are you doing here?"

"I do not know. I went for a run, but I am feeling frustrated and anxious. It will not go away," she said, irritated and still pacing.

He nodded in understanding and was grateful that she could at least pinpoint what she was feeling. He remembered a time not so long ago that such a feat would not have been possible. He tossed a piece of wood and a sanding block to her, tipping his chin towards it.

"There."

"What am I supposed to do with that?"

"Sand it," he said. "With the grain," he added as an afterthought.

She looked at him skeptically.

"You've done this before, Ziver. You know how it works. If you're not gonna talk, you're gonna work."

She rocked back and forth on her heels for a moment, contemplating, before sitting down at the work bench on a sawhorse and beginning to sand.

They worked in silence for quite some time, Ziva trying to calm her nerves and organize her thoughts, and Gibbs waiting patiently for her real problem to surface.

It was a long while before Ziva spoke again. The rhythmic sound of her sanding stopped, but Gibbs kept working.

"He is such an idiot. Why would he do that?" she finally said.

Gibbs only shrugged, knowing that the question was rhetorical.

"There was no reason for him to tackle that suspect. I had the situation under control. He did not need to intervene."

"You were in a hand to hand fight with a marine."

She stood, her anger getting the better of her once again. "That does not change the fact that I am capable enough to handle him on my own. Tony could have gotten hurt! He could have gotten stabbed! And yet there he was, throwing himself on a fully armed man."

"He has your six. He always has. Why is this bothering you so much?"

"Because!" she exclaimed, "I do not want him to make stupid decisions just because we are-" she stopped mid-sentence, looking terrified. She almost blurted out that she and Tony were together.

"What? Dating?" He said, completely unsurprised. Ziva's eyes widened in shock and horror.

"We...yes. How did you know?"

"DiNozzo told me" She sat down slowly, absorbing what she was told.

"He told you?" she asked, incredulously.

He nodded

"When?"

"Right after your first date. He was still wearing his suit and tie," he paused, hoping that the news would bring a smile to her face. To his dismay, she still looked slightly bewildered. "I'm guessing he didn't tell you he came to see me."

"No. He did not," she paused, realization spreading over her features, "Our first date was four months ago."

"Uh huh."

"You have known all this time?"

"Yep."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Wasn't my place. And you didn't give me a reason."

"Well we certainly have given you one now."

"Meaning?"

"All we have been trying to do is not give anyone a reason to separate us, to take one of us off the team. And now we have given you one. Tony acted rashly. He was not thinking about anything but my safety."

"Tony has never thought about anything other than protecting you. That's part of being your partner. He would have taken a bullet for you the moment you joined this team. What he did today he would have done whether you were dating or not."

She looked down at her hands, her hair falling into her face.

"I know you know that, Ziva. So what's really on your mind?"

There was a long pause before Ziva spoke.

"He cares too much," she said softly.

"What do you mean by that?" Gibbs asked, his voice lowering to meet her tone.

"I mean, he cares too much for me. I can feel it all the time. His concern, his love. It is everywhere."

"Is that a problem?"

"Yes...No...I do not..."

"Do you think he loves you more than you love him?" He couldn't believe he was having this conversation with Ziva. He'd never imagined _this_ would be the biggest problem in her and Tony's relationship; that he cared too much.

"No. I am certain that I love him just as much, if not more."

"Then what's the problem?"

Ziva was fidgeting on the sawhorse opposite Gibbs, clearly struggling with what she was trying to say. She was worrying her fingers, rubbing them back and forth and tapping them together.

"The way he loves me...I have never experienced anything like it," she wavered, fighting her tears, "I do not know if I deserve it."

Gibbs sighed. He knew to truly calm her fears, he would have to draw on emotions he hadn't truly felt in years. "Ziva, I know that you're doubting this, that you think you haven't done enough good in your life to be with him, but let me tell you something," he paused, just to be sure she was listening. "That's how you're supposed to feel."

Her head shot up, her teary eyes meeting his.

"When you find the person you're meant to be with, there's a bit of time that you think that it can't possibly be right. You feel like you've never been so overwhelmed with love, and that there is no way in the world you deserve the person sleeping next to you. You wonder what you have to do to keep that person with you always, and you try your best to prove to yourself and them that you deserve this gift. That's how I felt when I met Shannon, and I haven't felt it since," his voice grew raspy with the memory of his wife invading his senses and he took a sip of bourbon to finish his speech, pushing his emotions down.

Ziva had silent tears trickling down her face.

"You deserve each other, Ziver. Remember that."

She nodded tearfully. "I will."

"Good, now go see him. I know you want to."

She smiled sadly, nodding once again. She did take a small sip of her drink before getting up to leave.

"Hey," Gibbs said quietly, stopping Ziva in her tracks.

He slowly stood from his seat and walked around the table to where Ziva stood. He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the crown of her head. "Love ya, kid."

She smiled widely at him before turning to leave, wiping her tears as she went.

Gibbs turned back into the basement, eyes falling on where his boat usually sat; where Ziva had been sitting only moments ago. He could see Kelly running around the basement, her tiny hands gripping his tools, her laughter as he lifted her up to help him pound nails or sand boards. He took another drink and let his head fall back. Looking up at the sky, he silently thanked the universe for giving him another chance.


	4. New Rules

McGee stood outside Gibbs' front door nervous and not entirely sure what to expect. He had never been in the basement for a social call. He had never felt it necessary to pour his heart out to Gibbs, to to seek his fatherly advice. Gibbs often reminded Tim of his own father, and if they were as much alike as he thought, Gibbs would not put much credence on his personal concerns. He tried to push that thought aside as he actually entered the house. He wished he could have just talked to Gibbs in the bullpen, but there were some things that could not be discussed at work.

McGee descended the stairs cautiously, hoping that Gibbs wouldn't mind the intrusion. Gibbs was working on his still ambiguous project, making some measurements when his head popped up to see who had come to visit him.

"Hey, Boss," McGee said carefully.

"McGee," he replied, surprised, "What're you doing here?"

"Is this...not a good time?"

"No, it's a fine time, you know my door's always open for you guys. I just wasn't expecting you."

"I should have told you I was coming."

"No, McGee. I knew someone was coming. I just wasn't expecting _you._"

"Oh."

Gibbs nodded. He'd been expecting Ziva with the past few days she'd had, but McGee was a welcome change. With the look McGee was giving him, he knew the visit was very much needed.

"You haven't made a habit of coming to see me as much as the others."

"I know. I guess I just...didn't need it."

"Until now."

McGee nodded.

"Must be important."

"It is," McGee said, seriously.

"Well do you want to talk about it, or do you want a drink first?"

"I...I don't think I should be drinking for this."

"Okay," Gibbs said, walking around his table to the work bench. He motioned to one of the two chairs sitting next to the bench. "Well then pull up a chair."

McGee grabbed one of the chairs and sat quickly, Gibbs taking the other. McGee was fidgeting slightly, not sure at all where to put his hands. Gibbs took a breath and waited just a moment before speaking, knowing McGee would need some coaxing.

"You nervous?" Gibbs asked.

"Kind of, yeah."

Gibbs smiled, "I thought you'd outgrown that, Tim."

"I thought I had too, but this is a special circumstance."

Gibbs waited for a moment while McGee stared down at his hands, thinking. Gibbs watched him closely as he brought his thoughts together. This was not the McGee he'd come to know. He was nervous, unsure as he'd been in his probie days. He looked like he used to when he was about to tell Gibbs something that he knew would upset him.

"You know Abby better than anyone, right?" McGee asked.

Gibbs did a slight double take, taken aback at the question. "Not as well as you do," he answered honestly.

"I don't think so."

"Why's that?"

"You've known her longer than I have. And she opens up to you, you know?"

"She does, sometimes. She doesn't talk to you?" He asked as he poured himself a drink.

"She does, but not about anything that matters, lately."

"Something going on with you two?" Gibbs asked casually.

"I don't know anymore."

"Have you two been seeing each other?"

"Sort of. It's been on-again off-again, but we're not seeing other people." If Gibbs was shocked, he didn't show it.

"On again off again on whose part?"

"Abby's."

"And you're getting frustrated."

"Yeah. It's like...we both know that there's something there. There always has been. And since the bombing, it seemed like maybe we could finally do something about it, you know? But sometimes she's into it, and other times she's keeping me at arm's length, and I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know what she wants, and I don't know what she wants from me...I just...I feel like nothing I do is going to make her happy."

Gibbs was slightly stunned. All this time, McGee had been flying under the radar with his affections for Abby. Gibbs had some idea that the pair still had feelings for one another, but McGee's longing was far less palpable than Tony's. He supposed it was because Abby was so affectionate. He could touch her, hug her, comfort her when she needed it. He wasn't sure if that made Tim's struggle easier or even more difficult.

"I just feel kind of hopeless, you know? Like she's going to lead me on until she can find someone better," he shrugged.

"There is no one better, Tim. Rest assured of that."

McGee smiled sadly. "I can't be that guy, anymore. I can't be the fall back."

It sounded as though he were giving a break-up speech, but instead of talking to Abby, he was talking to her surrogate father. Everything about the situation should have been horribly awkward and nerve wracking, but Gibbs remained cool as a cucumber. His presence was calming, and his words reassuring. There was no judgement in his eyes, only empathy.

"You deserve better than that, McGee. You deserve someone who's going to treat you well, and give you something back. If she can't do that, it might be time to put all your cards on the table, or move on."

"That's what Sarah said. She said that I have to assert what I want, and if that's not what she wants...I have to let go," he said, his voice breaking slightly at even the possibility. He paused for a moment before speaking again. "Do you know...has she ever really been able to commit to anyone?" he asked, unsure.

"Is that what you want from her?" Gibbs asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah. Not necessarily a life commitment, but some sign she actually wants this would be nice."

"Maybe you need to tell her that."

"I just don't want to do anything to upset her. I know she's your favorite."

Gibbs shook his head. "You need to worry about you, McGee. I'll worry about her."

"I can't just not worry about her."

Gibbs smiled sadly, " I know. That's what makes it so rough."

McGee nodded solemnly. "I didn't understand rule 12 before, Boss, but I get it now. This is the kind of crap you wanted to keep from happening."

Gibbs sighed, taking another swig, "The thing about the rules, is that they're mine, McGee. They don't have to be yours. I make a point to teach them to you because it's how I live my life...but there has to come a time that you take what I teach you, and make your own rules."

McGee's eyes grew wide, not entirely sure what Gibbs was telling him to do.

"Tim, you've got to stop worrying about pissing me off." McGee's eyes widened once again. "I've been here to guide you, but this is your life. You have to do what makes you happy, no matter what I think."

McGee nodded succinctly. "Okay, boss."

"Okay," he paused "You wanna stay for a drink?"

"Thanks, but I think there's somewhere I need to be," McGee responded, getting up from his chair.

"Alright," Gibbs said with a smirk.

Before McGee could go any further, Gibbs clapped a hand on his shoulder, squeezing slightly. He looked him straight in the eyes, making sure Tim truly felt the words he needed to say. "I'm proud of you, kid," he said, the smirk never leaving his face.

"Thank you, Boss," voice bursting with pride and sincerity.

Gibbs tipped his chin to the stairs, "Get outta here."

McGee was just at the stairs before he turned back to Gibbs, who was halfway back to work on his project.

"Gibbs, seriously...thank you for everything."

He didn't wait for acknowledgement before turning to leave again.

As Gibbs set back to work he said to the now empty basement,"Anytime, McGee. Anytime."

.


	5. Breaking Rule Number 4

**I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story. I appreciate your feedback, and I'm so glad you're enjoying it! **

* * *

Tony was somber the next time he entered the basement. There had been a sharp change in his demeanor since Gibbs had released them from his charge several hours ago. It was nearing midnight, and though there were many pleasant developments Tony had been planning on telling Gibbs, there were more pressing matters to be attended to.

Tony slowly walked down the stairs, clad in jeans and an NCIS hoodie. Gibbs could tell by his posture that he was conflicted, almost beaten down. His shoulders were hunched, his head hanging down, as though he were disappointed or ashamed of himself. Gibbs ceased his work immediately, knowing that this talk would be a serious one.

He looked up as Tony poured himself a glass of bourbon and sat down on the stool, utterly defeated.

"Tony," he prodded gently, "What the hell happened?"

"Well," he began, "We, Ziva and I, were starting to pack up some of her stuff, because, I forgot to tell you, we decided last weekend that we should move in together" Gibbs' heart warmed at the thought of the two truly figuring out their relationship, but quickly realized that if everything had gone to plan, Tony would not be sitting in front of him.

"So we're packing up a whole bunch of her things, and I open up this cabinet cabinet...wardrobe thing, and inside the doors, she has this world map with all kinds of pins on it with little dates written next to them, and on the other door, a list of names. When I asked her about it, she said it was nothing, but I knew it was more than that. Turns out, she's been looking for Bodnar by herself. Tracking his movements for months."

Gibbs let his chin fall to his chest, ashamed at how long she had been investigating under his nose.

"Yeah. So then she asked me not to tell you. To let her handle it on her own. That's when the yelling started."

Gibbs raised his head once more to look at Tony, who was now sitting with his head hanging down, looking at the glass of bourbon he was worrying in his hand.

"I started with the standards, trying to convince her that she wasn't alone, that she didn't have to go at him by herself. I told her that she should let us help her, that we're better as a team...but she said she could handle it. That it was her responsibility to uphold her father's honor and no one else's. Then I tried to tell her that she needed to approach it with a little more caution, that she couldn't bring a knife to a gun fight. _That_ brought up some interesting misunderstandings that needed to be cleared up, but it didn't work either. Finally I went with trying to convince her that I couldn't live without her, and that she should at least let me in, because I couldn't stand to see her hurt...and that I knew I wouldn't be able to handle her death a second time," his voice softened considerably at the end of his tirade. He looked up, "I don't know how at this point she still has no idea how far I would go to keep her safe."

"No, no, I think she knows too well how far you'd go. And that's why she hid it from you."

"I hope so."

"You're not sure?" Gibbs asked, concerned.

"It took way more convincing than I thought it would to get her to let me help her."

"She did agree, though." Not a question.

"Yeah, eventually. She made me promise that only she and I would know what was really going on. That we wouldn't drag the rest of the team into it."

"And you agreed?"

"Yeah. Obviously I broke the rules though, because I'm telling you, and I know that when the time comes, you'll tell Abs and McGee too. I just...didn't think I really had another choice. She's already in way too deep, and I couldn't see this having a happy ending with just the two of us taking Bodnar on."

Gibbs gave no response.

"I really need you to have our six on this one, Boss."

"I'll have it. And so will McGee."

"Thanks. Just...please don't tell her that I told you. I can't lose her trust on this. I know I'm breaking rule number 4..."

"Doesn't count. You broke it to keep her safe."

"I don't think there's a rule I wouldn't break to keep her safe."

"I know."

Tony nodded, remaining silent, still worrying the glass in his hand.

"Something else bothering you, DiNozzo?"

Tony rolled his head back, shaking his head looking exasperated, "I just thought we were past the distrust stage, you know? I thought we were in a better place."

"You feel betrayed."

"Oh yeah." he said, bitterly. "That's one way to put it." Tony reached down to pull something out of his pocket. A small, blue velvet box. He tossed it to Gibbs, who caught it easily. Gibbs opened the box gently and sighed when he found an engagement ring nestled inside. A white gold band held a modestly sized emerald at the center with two smaller diamonds flanking each side.

"I was going to ask her to marry me. Not like, this weekend or anything, but sometime soon. Now...I don't know."

"It's beautiful," Gibbs said, handing the box back.

"Thanks."

"Are you really gonna draw back from the life you built together because she made one bad decision?"

"It's not about the fact that she's looking for Bodnar. I half expected her to. I'm actually kind of relieved that she knows where he is, so we know when we need to be on the offensive...but she kept it from me all this time. I thought that we were past the point of secrets and lies. I thought we'd finally learned to trust each other, but now I'm not so sure," he said, playing with the ring box.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "She probably won't even want to marry me now, she'll be so pissed that I told you."

"That's not true. You'll forgive each other. You always do."

"I don't know this time. Not about the forgiveness, I know that we'll be able to work it out. It's that she's got a bloodlust for this guy, boss. She's not gonna be satisfied until he's dead. But she's not that person anymore. I don't think killing him is really going to solve anything for her. Her father will still be dead, and she'll still be left with no biological relatives, and then I'll be left with her broken into a million pieces again," he said, sadness and frustration creeping into his tone.

"So what are you gonna do?"

"I'm going to be there for her the best way I can. And I'm gonna have her six," he said definitively.

"That's all you ever need to do. Remember that."

"I will."

"Wish you'd have come earlier, I've been craving steaks lately."

"Sorry, boss. When this whole mess is sorted out, we'll have steak night, guaranteed."

"I'll hold you to that," Gibbs smirked.

"I'd better get going. I should get back in bed before Ziva notices I'm gone," he said, getting up from his seat at the workbench.

"I didn't need to hear that," Gibbs said, shaking his head.

"Won't happen again."

"I don't believe that for a second."

"You know us too well," Tony said heading up the stairs.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs called, "You really getting a dog?"

Tony smiled broadly, "Yeah, I think we are." He quickly ascended the rest of the stairs and out of the house.

Gibbs, alone once again, could only laugh. There may be hell ahead, but they'd be just fine.


	6. Dust

It was strange, walking in knowing no one was home. His steps echoed more than he remembered, the creak in the fourth stair breaking through the silence that had settled in the desolate house.

Though the team had taken it upon themselves to clean what was left in Gibbs' house, the basement had been left untouched. Gibbs' sanctuary, though open to them when they needed it, was seemingly off limits when he wasn't around. All kinds of things were still flung onto every flat surface, still where they fell when the DOD ripped through.

The dust had settled in the basement, mingling with the sawdust and hint of alcohol that normally swirled in the air. It smelled different, without the new wood. It felt darker, more lonely without a new project adorning the table.

Tony paced the floor slowly, taking in the destruction that had be wrought upon their family. The tools that were handled so deftly, so lovingly by their fearless leader were strewn about. Papers spread across the workbench. The bourbon they drank so readily, to calm themselves, to talk, to solve their now seemingly insignificant problems, was smashed on the floor, the odor permeating the room.

He took a calming breath, hands on his hips. He chewed his lip for a moment, not quite believing what he was about to do.

"Hey, boss," he started. "I know you're not here…and I know this is weird, because I know you can't hear me. Abby would probably argue that you can, because you're god or something, but I'm not sure even your superpowers range that far. Don't tell her I said that though, I wouldn't want to upset her any more.

"She took it hard, you know. You leaving, and the rest of us resigning. She's always saying that we need to see each other more, even if we do see each other every week. I know it's not the same, since we're not at work all the time anymore, but we try. We did visit her once at the office though, and she's got pictures of us everywhere. Mostly of you. It's creepy, but strangely comforting, like you've still got her six from wherever it is you are."

He paced the basement, kicking up some of the sawdust, hoping to create the comforting presence he was looking for.

"It's bugging the crap out of me that I don't know where you are, Boss. I wish there was something I could do to help you. I know the whole resigning thing was supposed to do that, and I like to believe on some level it did, but I don't know what to do now. I don't know if anything we did was actually worth something, or if all of this was in vain. I hope it wasn't, because I have to tell you, job searching sucks. For some of us more than others.

"McGemcity is working on a new novel, so he's good for a while, I have some idea what I'm doing. I mean, I'll probably end up a cop again, I've never done anything else. Can't see myself doing anything else. I'll probably have to move though, I'm not up for dealing with Sportelli's shit 24/7."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his head in thought.

"And then there's Ziva. I don't know what to do with her anymore, Boss. She doesn't know what to do with herself. She's never done anything but this. She's never tried her hand at anything else. I know she wants to, but she doesn't know where to start, and it's driving her nuts. And you know if it's driving her nuts, it's driving me nuts. She's still reeling from everything that's happened, and I don't think that's helping, either."

His pacing ceased. He stood, alone in the dark basement, shaking his head, his frustration bubbling just under the surface.

"It's stupid how screwed up everything is without you here. It's like everyone is off balance and there's nothing we can do to fix it. Last time you left we all had the job, and that was enough for a while. Enough to keep the world from spinning completely off it's axis, but now we don't have any of that. We're just left behind with no job, no way to contact you, and no idea where the hell you are or if you're even alive.

"I'm going to choose to believe that we did the right thing, and that whatever you're doing, you'll come home safely. I don't know if you will, or if that's your aim, but I hope that you're going into this with at least the intention to try to come home. I don't think we could take it if you...you know."

The frustration seeped out of his tone, resignation taking it's place. "Tim and I...we'd move on eventually, but not the girls. They would be a wreck. I don't think they can stand to lose another Dad, Boss," he paused, "I don't think I can, either. I know I still have one, but you were my dad for so many years, Gibbs. You taught me more than you know. After all these years, you can't just drop off the map on me now."

He paused again, feeling slightly ridiculous to be talking to an empty room.

"You've gotta come home, Boss. It's not the same without you."

He took one last look around the empty basement before heading up the stairs, the creak of the fourth step seeming even louder than when he went down.


End file.
